Whether discussing COVID-19 vaccinations with different people, reading two different news sites, or merely glancing at any given Twitter feed, one might think that Americans across the country live in alternate universes. It is clear that political polarization has reached a boiling point.
Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer – a nationally renowned expert in deliberative democracy, Executive Director Emerita of the National Institute for Civil Discourse, and member of the Çï¿ûÊÓƵ’s Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship – joins Then & Now producer Maia Ferdman to discuss this phenomenon. She describes the historical development of hyper-partisanship in the U.S., describes the opportunities that innovative political engagement offers, and suggests ways of healing the seemingly intractable divides in our country in order to chart a collective path forward.